Dutch brewing giant Heineken has announced plans to eliminate between 5,000 and 6,000 jobs over the next two years as it moves to streamline operations in response to weakening beer demand across major markets.
The company said it will “accelerate productivity at scale to unlock significant savings,” positioning the workforce reduction as part of a broader efficiency drive amid what it described as challenging market conditions.
Heineken’s UK arm, which has headquarters in Edinburgh and other sites in London, Manchester, Tadcaster, Hereford, and Ledbury, employs around 2,100 people.
The group’s Star Pubs and Bars arm also operates 2,400 venues across the UK.
It is still not clear how the UK operation will be affected.
Chief Executive Dolf van den Brink stated that the company remains cautious about near-term performance in the global beer market. “We remain prudent in our near-term expectations for beer market conditions,” he said, signalling continued pressure on volumes despite efforts to stabilise performance.
Heineken reported that beer volumes fell 1.2% in 2025, a smaller decline than analysts’ expectations of a 2.48% drop, but still indicative of soft consumer demand. The brewer, which owns international brands such as Amstel and Tecate, has been grappling with reduced consumption in key regions including the United States and Europe.
Across developed markets, consumers are reassessing discretionary spending as household budgets tighten amid persistent inflation. At the same time, shifting lifestyle preferences and a growing focus on health and moderation have contributed to lower alcohol consumption, particularly among younger demographics.